Running with knee pain?

I have started the c25k program this week. Instead of just doing the 3 days a week I have decided to do each day twice, so do 6 sessions a week. So far I love it.

However, today I have knee pain. Nothing too severe, but hurts enough that I notice it up walking around. It didn't hurt when I was at work earlier today, but rather when I got home. It is possible that I was in an awkward position at work and that caused it to hurt. So my question is- what would you do? Take the day off from running or just run through the pain? I know it is not an actual injury.

Replies

unknown

Well, you can skip your rest days and an enforced injury can keep you off your feet for weeks or months.

Or you can listen.

You can do another endurance activity on your off days like the bicycle.

unknown

jgnatca wrote: »

Well, you can skip your rest days and an enforced injury can keep you off your feet for weeks or months.

Or you can listen.

You can do another endurance activity on your off days like the bicycle.

Wow, that was rude.

unknown

Long time runner and last week experienced knee pain. I've taken a week off and have been icing and rolling and massaging this sucker. Still fiery when I touch it. I'm only walking right now.

Take time to heal. I used to run through pain and tore myself up a few yrs ago.

unknown

I started a C25k program this spring. After 2 weeks, I was running 5k's with no problem until knee pain in both knees became too bothersome to continue. If your knees continue to bother you, consider walking on a steep incline (if you have a treadmill). You can burn more calories and it has a far less impact on your joints. A 3.5mph walk at 10% incline will burn (for me) around 700 cal/hr.

unknown

I'm from the camp that says you can run more as a beginner than a lot of programs suggest WITH some big caveats: you have to be running correctly which means correct form for your body (injury-free form), correct pace/exertion (this means you actually run easy on the easy days, at the correct pace for your body/fitness level, which may mean as slow as walking pace), and appropriate recovery and maintenance during the non-running times of the day.

Interestingly, that old "don't increase your distance by more than 10% per week" myth is actually not based on any science or research. There are a number of those myths out there. And, new research suggests increased distance is not a basis for injury--the old "you gotta get your ligaments and joints used to running" is likewise, just a myth. Humans were built to move on their feet (not on their rear-ends--so unfortunately, this same logic doesn't necessarily transfer to bicycling).

I used to lead a couple of PT programs where we took completely sedentary participants with chronic injuries [think: middle-aged people who sat in a chair for 95% of their waking hours for years] and pushed them to move for a few hours, on a daily basis (bicycling, treadmills, other exercises). We also monitored to make sure they were doing each activity correctly. Oh yeah, we definitely heard complaints, they had a lot of psychological issues in addition to physical, but nothing they complained of actually prevented them from doing some sort of heart-pumping activity every weekday during the month-plus long programs.

Probably the reason beginner running programs ease runners into distance and time is because a lot of beginning runners are doing the program on their own and are starting from a true ground zero in both knowledge and experience therefore, the programs have to be designed for the LCD.

So, I'm not suggesting anyone should deviate from a program as defined. If you have appropriate guidance, you certainly can change things up to do more.